Modern construction equipment is generally hydraulically operated. The controls used by the operator constitute hydraulic valves which directly connect to the hydraulic cylinders at the articulations, or other sites of relative motion between the structural members which mount the operative element of the equipment. It is common to have three, four, and more hydraulic drive cylinders which operate the equipment, requiring the corresponding number of hand operated valves.
A skilled operator of a backhoe or other piece of equipment can operate it as though it were an extension of his own body utilizing the hydraulic valves. However, it may take a couple of years before an operator achieves this level of skill, and in the meantime an extremely expensive piece of equipment is being underutilized during the training process.
Additionally, during the learning period, when the operator does not accurately move and stop the machine as he should, it is difficult on the equipment and puts a strain on most of the operating parts. This is especially evident in rental units. A backhoe in a rental year will require quite frequent major maintenance.
Many of these training problems are a result of the hydraulic control system available to the operator. Like playing a musical instrument, it takes a time before the operator can freely move all of the controls concurrently in a smooth, synchronized fashion which maximizes the productivity of the machine and minimizes structural damage. A system which could integrate all of this motion into a single analog control device, in which the operator merely moves the operative element such as a backhoe on a miniature scale, causing the comparable movement of the actual backhoe, would unquestionably speed the operator learning process, save equipment, and enable nonprofessionals such as those renting units from a rental yard to utilize equipment more effectively.